Cambodian Garment Workers Open University

Phnom Penh, 4 February 2011:  ILO Better Factories Cambodia has run a series of event on "Garment Worker Open University in which training on basic Cambodian Labour Law is provided to around 2,000 workers from 28 garment factories in the Phnom Penh areas.

The garment sector provides work to approximately 300,000 workers currently.  90% of them are young women from different provinces of Cambodia such as Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Takeo, and Kampong Speu.  The "Open Univerity" event aims at:

• Highlighting the importance of the labour law for the healthy growth of the industry and Cambodia as a whole;
• Increasing the knowledge of garment workers of the Labour Law, their rights and responsibilities;
• Increasing the knowledge of key trade union leaders in terms of the labour law and how it applies to their work; and
• Increasing workers' knowledge of a disseminate information about life basic skills as to encourage safe behaviours.

ILO BFC Trainer and workers on one of Sunday providing the labour law training to workers.

The Open University runs through four Sundays with 500 workers for each Sunday.  The 500 workers were divided into 17 different classes with 17 to 20 worker participants.  Workers were collected from the designated areas and transported to the training centre in Phnom Penh.

 

Workers listen to the session on labour law training.  This is their first time to take part in such mass labour law training.

Workers had luch during the lunch break under the shadow of the training building.

Workers enjoyed the comedy during the break. As part of the event, an educational comedy on reproductive health and domestic violence was integrated and performed by Phva Punleau Selabak.

Workers stood watching the comedy during lunch break time.

Mr. Tuomo Poutiainen, Chief Technical Advisor of ILO BFC and I, Sophal Chea, Programme Officer for MDG-F Joint Programme for Children, Food Security and Nutrition, observed one of the training classes during the Open Univeristy event.

      

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